Katya Berger

Katya Berger Biography

Born in London, England 1966 to a family rich in artistic
talent, Katya Berger was destined to follow in the footsteps of her parents.
Her father was legendary Austrian actor William Berger, and her mother
talented Croatian songwriter/actress Hanja Kochansky. With roots like that,
expectations of talent were only natural for this beautiful, dark haired girl
with deep, stunning eyes that could melt you in a second. Before even
graduating into full bloom teenage years, Katya followed the path of her
father into film, and soon she began taking serious roles at a very fragile
age.

At only 12, Katya landed her first big part, and perhaps
one of her best films to date, taking the top billing as Eva in Mimmo
Cattarinich's Italian/Spanish post-WW2 drama PICCOLE LABBRA (1978) (LITTLE
LIPS), a challenging film about a war veteran who finds new reason to live
after traumatic experiences when he falls for a 12 year old girl (played by
Katya). Certainly a heavy role for a little girl to dive into. From there she
would get her feet wet on U.S. shores, taking on a smaller role as Raf
Vallone's daughter in Michael Ritchie's romantic comedy AN ALMOST PERFECT
AFFAIR (1979). It was in Italy though where Katya Berger would be easiest
recognized and attain her most success in film, and there, much like father
William, is where she would continue experiencing the life of an actor for the
majority and remainder of her short career.

1982 would be a particularly defining year for the now 16
year old Katya, landing good roles, one a starring lead, in two very different
corners of film. One very bloody, the other almost a coming out of sexual
expression for her. Aristide Massaccesi's ROSSO SANGUE (ABSURD) saw her take
her first and only steps into the horror genre, coming out all gore-drenched
with her kid brother Kasimir Berger in tow, running terrorized from an
ANTROPOPHAGUS patterned Luigi "George Eastman" Montefiori. The other was a
much larger role, playing the part of the seductive nymph and title character
for Dan Wolman's NANA: LA VERA CHIAVE DEL PIACERE, a role that became more
comfortable for Katya with her father's assistance and support, and the
warming presence of her older sister Debra Berger, who portrayed the part of
Satin in the film. Katya quickly shed any qualms about strutting around in the
buff, alluring men in the film over half her age, like Jean-Pierre Aumont and
a drooling Yehuda Efroni. Katya Berger had gone from an inexperienced little
girl, to a young woman finding herself before our eyes in the span of four
short years.

Apparently Katya Berger wanted more out of life than just a
film career, and unfortunately for those getting to know her on the screen,
her last film would come a year later in 1983 - Jean-Jacques Beineix's
French/Italian LA LUNE DANS LE CANIVEAU. A showcasing role for another young
up and coming temptress of the time, Nastassja Kinski, but a rather quiet role
compared to some of her others for Katya. She dropped out of the scene
following this in 1983 at 17 years of age. The Berger film legacy was to be
carried on however, as younger brother Kasimir would continue making small
film appearances through 1984 and '85, Debra would play the odd supporting
part in the U.S., and of course William would remain active right up until his
death in the early nineties.

Katya Berger now lives in New York City and is happily
married with a young child.

NOTE: The IMDb, Yahoo, and many childstarlet sites are wrong about Katya's birthdate and -place. Instead of being born in 1964 in Munich (!?) - she was born in a London hospital in 1966. For more info contact ALIPTES.